King Charles reportedly went "ballistic" at Prince Edward after a film crew from the prince's production company attempted to capture footage of Prince William during his university years. The incident, detailed in a 2006 book, led to a major fallout between the brothers.
William's Arrival at St Andrews
In 2001, the future King enrolled at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where he studied Art History before switching to Geography. An agreement was made between the Palace and the press that the media could film William's arrival at the university, but then had to leave him alone for the duration of his studies.
While many media companies followed this rule, it seems a film production company set up by Prince Edward, William's uncle, slightly bent the rules in 1993. Shortly after William started at the university, Ardent Productions, which often produced documentaries, had set up its cameras at the Scottish university.
The Reported Fallout
It was reported that the two-man crew was trying to film William as he was leaving a lecture hall. When this was first discovered, King Charles - then Prince of Wales - reportedly went "ballistic" at Prince Edward, as it was his company that was trying to get the footage.
Royal author Robert Jobson discussed the incident in his 2006 book, William's Princess. He wrote: "The programme was understood to be keeping Ardent afloat. Desperate times seem to have called for desperate measures for Prince Edward."
He continued: "William was furious. He felt his uncle's company's actions had threatened to undermine the carefully nurtured relationship between St James' Palace and the media, and in turn that it would threaten the entente cordiale between him and the press."
Brothers' Relationship Plummets
Jobson added: "When the story emerged, Prince Charles understandably went ballistic. He berated his youngest sibling, furiously demanding from the Queen that Edward be made to choose once and for all between his public duties and his television company — itself many believed little more than a vanity project dependent on Edward's title for what little success it had."
"Relations between the brothers plummeted to an all-time low as St James' Palace publicly criticised Edward for his idiocy and the behaviour of his production company. In unusually blunt terms, a spokeswoman for Prince Charles said that he was: 'Disappointed, very much so.'"
A statement from Ardent Productions shortly after the incident claimed that Prince Edward was not aware of the crew staying on in Scotland after filming William's arrival at the university, and instructed all crew to cease activities when he was made aware.
The King and Prince Edward's argument didn't seem to cause any lasting damage to their now strong relationship.
